We always keep a stash of ground beef in our freezer for cheap and easy dinners and these recipes are our go-to, family-approved meals. You will find plenty of delicious and healthy ground beef dinner ideas on this list.

Ground Beef Recipes:

This collection of ground beef recipes is GOLD and you’ll make them over and over. Pin it here to save for later! It’s not surprising that our most popular ground beef recipes are:

Made with pantry staples

Easy-to-follow

Quick to make

Flavor packed

How to Freeze Ground Beef:

Most recipes call for 1 pound of ground beef so it’s smart to freeze in 1 lb portions or even 1/2 lb portions which will thaw quicker. Use a kitchen scale to weigh out portions of ground beef and transfer to a freezer-safe zip baggie. Squeeze out any excess air and seal.

Cook’s Tip: Use a rolling pin to flatten the beef, making it easier to stack and store in the freezer and faster to thaw.

How to Thaw Ground Beef:

To Quick Thaw – place the sealed frozen bag of beef into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Place a weight over the bag to keep it submerged. It should thaw in about 20 minutes for 1 lb portions or 10 minutes for 1/2 lb portions. Use immediately and do not refreeze quick-thawed beef.

To Thaw in the Refrigerator – place the sealed package on a plate and thaw in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Cook or refreeze within 2 days.

Can I thaw in the Microwave? We do not recommend thawing in the microwave due to uneven thawing and risk of partial cooking.

Quick Ground Beef Recipes:

Spaghetti Meat Sauce (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5.0 from 10 votes) – beefy, juicy and so satisfying. It comes together fast so it is perfect for busy weeknights. P.S. It’s freezer-friendly, reheats beautifully and is perfect for meal prep.

Beef Chili (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.85 from 45 votes) – Rich, hearty and loaded with vegetables and beans. This ground beef chili is comfort food at its finest! Best of all, it takes under 30 minutes to make.

What Can I Substitute for Ground Beef?

If you don’t have ground beef on hand, some recipes can be substituted with ground turkey or ground chicken and sometimes ground pork. If you are looking for a creative vegetarian substitute, try finely chopping mushrooms or eggplant in a food processor.

Ground Beef Casserole Recipes:

Classic Lasagna (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.95 from 71 votes) – This Beef Lasagna recipe is saucy, flavorful and feeds a crowd for way less than going out to eat. It also reheats perfectly so it’s great for a to-go lunch.

Taco Salad (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5.0 from 6 votes) – This is essentially a 7-layer taco appetizer. You can take this Taco salad dip to any party. It’s just an all-around-amazing dip. We serve it with tortilla chips.

Lasagna Stuffed Shells (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.91 from 20 votes) – Can you tell we love lasagna? These are perfectly portioned and no need to slice! This is quicker and easier than making lasagna but still just as satisfying!

Ground Beef Crockpot Recipes:

Slow Cooker Lasagna (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.91 from 32 votes) – This make-ahead Lasagna is juicy, cheesy, beefy, and tastes just as good as a classic lasagna, but easier! There is no need to pre-cook noodles, and you can make it the night before so it is perfect for busy weeknights and Sunday lunch.

Slow Cooker Bolognese (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.94 from 16 votes)- You’ll love the rich flavors that form with slow cooking this bolognese sauce in a crockpot. Best of all, there is no babysitting required.

More Ground Beef Dinner Ideas:

Spaghetti and Meatballs (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.88 from 78 votes) – Make this and you’ll be known for your spaghetti and meatballs! The meatballs are incredible with a mix of ground beef, Italian sausage, and a special ingredient to make them super tender.

Meatloaf with the Best Glaze (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.9 from 93 votes) – Say goodbye to boring and underwhelming meatloaf. This tender ground beef meatloaf is a winner and everyone raves about the sweet and tangy glaze.

Perfect Burger Recipe (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5.0 from 10 votes) – Get all of our tips and tricks for the juiciest burgers on the block and learn which ground beef is best for burgers. We also shared the recipe for our “secret sauce!”

I hope you find some new favorite ground beef recipes here to make your busy weeknights even easier!

Here is a simple tutorial on how to cook ground beef which you can use for quick meals like nachos, burritos, tacos, salad and more!

Ingredients

Instructions

Place a large skillet or pan over medium-high heat and add 1 Tbsp oil if using lean beef. Once the oil is hot, add ground beef in an even layer, breaking it up with a stiff spatula or wooden spoon into smaller pieces. Let the meat brown for 3-5 minutes without stirring.

Break up the beef with your spatula and season with salt and pepper to taste and continue to saute, breaking up the meat with your spatula until the beef is lightly browned and fully cooked through with no signs of pink. Break open the larger crumbles to ensure there is no pink inside.

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

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natashaskitchen

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles! Reply

Deborrah Krutzmann

September 3, 2019

Spaghetti and Meatball recipe is the best I’ve ever tasted.
The Avacodo and Chicken salad is terrific and I’ve passed it on to friends who don’t love cooking as much as I do, but want to eat well without too much time in the kitchen.
I raised four children and had to look high and low for great cookbooks and healthy recipes back in those days. At 71, I am a life long foodie and still searching out the best of the best. Your recipes fall into that category.
Your website and recipes are an inspiration to any mother, grandmother or just plain old gourmet. Thank you Natasha.
Victoria, B.C. Reply

Natashas Kitchen

September 3, 2019

Thank you so much for sharing that thoughtful feedback and review with me, Deborrah! I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed our blog! Reply

Laura Reese

August 29, 2019

Thanks for all these great recipes in one place. I always have ground beef in the freezer. Reply

Hi Kirill, over the past year, we have been adding metric measurements and are working towards having metric on all of our recipes. If you go to the recipe card for the recipe, click, “metric” and it will display. Reply